“Thank you.” He offered the king his hand.
The king shook it before taking his leave.
Gisela rubbed Xaydin on the back. “You did something wonderful.”
“I didn’t do anything.” He really hadn’t. “I’m just glad it worked out and there was no bloodshed.”
“A rarity for us,” Masakage added.
“Indeed.”
Gisela watched as Evar and Marstyn followed the king out of the inn.
“I feel good about this. Anyone else?”
They all stared at Ronan for his question.
He held his hands up. “Don’t kill the messenger. I mean we got the big guy—” He gestured toward Xaydin. “—squared with the fish king. All we have left is to kill Meara and deliver a rather sick hide to Dash. Day done, right?”
Masakage clapped him on the back. “And avoid a troll and ogre army between here and there. Good luck with that.”
“I can fly.” Ronan winked at them.
Not to be outdone, Candara spoke up. “I can portal.”
Xaydin gave her an irritated smirk. “We all can portal provided Masakage doesn’t abandon us.”
Gisela looked about the empty inn. “How long do you think before your brother finds you?”
Xaydin shrugged. “So far, we haven’t been betrayed, but that doesn’t say much. For all we know, he could be hiding on the edge of the town, ready to strike.”
That was her fear, too.
“Let’s get the contract to Dash and then we go for Meara.”
She liked the sound of Xaydin’s plan, except for one thing. “What about your brother?”
“I’ll deal with him later. It’s not the first time he’s come after me. Every blue moon, he feels a need to eliminate me from succession.”
She felt terrible for him. It must be awful to…
What are you talking about? Your own mother is after you.
True. Her brothers had never seen her as a threat, so they’d never wasted any energy trying to kill her.
Provided they even knew she was a sibling of theirs. Given her mother’s secrecy and her own, they probably didn’t. It wasn’t like she’d ever told a soul that she was their princess, and her mother had murdered everyone who’d witnessed Gisela’s birth.
As far as she knew, no one at home had any idea Meara was her mother.
And she was good with that.
Rubbing Xaydin’s back, she glanced at the others. “When are we leaving?”
“Soon as we’re ready.” Xaydin inclined his head to them. “Fifteen minutes? Meet back here?”
Ronan snorted. “Since I have nothing to pack, I’ll wait here for all of you.”
Mischief stayed behind while the others went to get their things.
